


A ritual of sorts

by oceantears



Category: Good Omens (TV)
Genre: Angst, Asexual Aziraphale, Asexual Character, Asexual Relationship, Aziraphale Loves Crowley (Good Omens), Boys Kissing, Comfort, Fluff, Insecure Aziraphale, Insecurity, Kissing, M/M, Misunderstandings, No Sex, No Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-16
Updated: 2019-06-16
Packaged: 2020-05-13 05:00:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19244335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oceantears/pseuds/oceantears
Summary: Lately, Crowley had noticed a pattern - whenever he and Aziraphale were kissing for prolonged periods of time, Aziraphale would always interrupt the kiss and excuse himself.Now Crowley only needed  to find out why.





	A ritual of sorts

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!  
> English isn't my first language, please tell me about any mistakes I made!  
> This story isn't half as dirty as the summary makes it sound, seeing as there is no smut at all. (But there are loads of kisses and supportive!Crowley. :))
> 
> I hope you enjoy!!

Crowley and Aziraphale were kissing.  
Crowley was half lying, half sitting on the couch in Aziraphale's bookshop with said angel kneeling in front of him on the couch, and in that position they had been kissing for at least ten minutes now.

Not that Crowley was complaining, not at all. In fact, he was rather enjoying himself, with his hands tangled in Aziraphale's hair and all that.  
Crowley shifted slightly to relieve the pain in his hip and grinned into the kiss.  
Dear Someone, did he enjoy kissing Aziraphale. He enjoyed everything to do with Aziraphale, but kissing was just... something else.  
Something really good, about as good as curling up next to him on the couch after a long day or holding hands with the angel. And that was saying something.

He felt Aziraphale shift as well, presumably to get a bit more comfortable, too. He couldn't blame him - both their bodies weren't the youngest anymore, having had them since The Beginning.  
Crowley loosened his grip a little to allow the angel to move accordingly, but was surprised as Aziraphale did not only shift but drew back altogether, bringing some distance between Crowley and himself. 

The angel's lips were slightly red and his hair unruly, probably courtesy of Crowley's hands. He was smiling slightly but there was something distracted to his look and Crowley frowned, confused as to why Aziraphale had interrupted the kiss. Had a customer shown up? But no, there was no foreign presence in the bookshop.

Crowley leaned back a bit and watched as Aziraphale climbed from the couch only to settle back down next to Crowley.

"Are you alright?"

Crowley couldn't help but be slightly nervous. Had he done something wrong? Had he pushed Aziraphale too far or had his hands strayed too much? Hardly possible since they had been tangled in the angel's hair for the entire duration of their kiss, but maybe his grip had been too tight and he had hurt the angel...

Aziraphale interrupted his thoughts.

"Perfectly fine, my dear. I just needed some time to breathe. My body isn't the youngest anymore, after all." 

He smiled at Crowley, who reciprocated the smile. That was a plausible excuse, not that the angel needed one if he wanted to stop kissing.  
But still, it seemed somewhat odd to Crowley. He knew perfectly well that Aziraphale was capable of kissing for extended periods of time and still got enough air, which was why his answer confused him a little.

But it didn't matter, really, thought Crowley as Aziraphale settled next to him with a freshly conjured book and two mugs of hot chocolate. He was just as glad to simply cuddle up next to the angel and enjoy their closeness.

 

\---

 

Two weeks after that, however, Crowley was beginning to become slightly worried.  
He had noticed a pattern - whenever he and the angel were kissing for prolonged periods of time (meaning more than about twelve minutes, and yes, he had timed it), Aziraphale would become restless and interrupt the kiss suddenly. 

Crowley couldn't quite understand why. Of course he never stopped Aziraphale from stopping, but he wished he had an explanation for that behaviour.  
To him it didn't matter that Aziraphale felt the need to take a break from kissing every so often but it _did_ matter that he seemed increasingly nervous whenever it happened.

Crowley could recall the last time perfectly - they had both been drunk in his flat and had talked and joked, as per usual. Somehow, their conversation had turned into kisses over time, which had turned into more kisses, until they had been kissing for about ten minutes, with Crowley's arms wrapped around the angel, drunk on alcohol and utter happiness. And then, it had stopped.  
Aziraphale had broken away from him and had murmured something about having left a very important book in his bookstore, which he had to fetch, urgently.

And Crowley had let him go, of course he had, watching Aziraphale worriedly as the angel sobered up, took his coat and left with an awkward hug and a nervous air about him.

 

Now, two days later, Crowley was still confused about the incident.  
He had replayed the events of that evening again and again in his head but could not fathom why Aziraphale had reacted the way he had.  
The only common factor he'd found in all their interrupted kisses was their duration. But that knowledge did not really make him wiser, which was why Crowley had decided to ask the angel about it tonight, after dining at the Ritz.  
It had become a ritual of sorts, them eating out and then going to either Crowley's or Aziraphale's flat, where they'd talk and drink. Or sometimes, kiss.

Crowley shook his head resolutely. He'd ask Aziraphale about it tonight - if only so that he could find out what he'd been doing wrong.

 

\--

To both the angel's and the demon's surprise, neither of them was actually drunk as they left the Ritz. Of course they weren't exactly _sober_ either, but still. The two friends made their way to Aziraphale's bookshop, enjoying the cool night air. It had been a lovely evening with excellent food and both of them were happy and sated. They had agreed that Crowley would come over to the bookshop and he was looking forward to spending a few more hours with his friend. 

As they had reached their destination and Aziraphale unlocked the door the human way, Crowley remembered his plan for tonight. He smiled as the angel led him to the living room and sat down on the sofa, well aware that Aziraphale, who had left to bring a bottle of red wine, would sit down next to him.  
Crowley was excited for their cuddling and conversations, as he always was, not that he'd ever admit that.

Once Aziraphale had come back and sat down on the sofa, Crowley immediately scooted closer and put his feet in the angel's lap. Aziraphale smiled at that and poured both of them a glass of wine, leaning back after he'd given Crowley his.

"So," started the angel after having taken a sip, "it was a rather lovely evening, don't you think?"

Crowley grinned. This was so very _Aziraphale_ , talking about an evening that was not even over yet and which the both of them had experienced together.  
Nevertheless, he answered with an easy smile.

"It was, wasn't it? The food was excellent. Don't suppose we'd get something like it on Alpha Centauri, do you?"

Aziraphale sighed and nodded.  
Their conversation continued like this for a while, Aziraphale gently massaging Crowley's legs during it, until the demon sat up and shifted so that his face was within kissing-distance of the angel's.  
Crowley had totally forgotten about wanting to ask the angel about the interrupted kisses, and lost himself in the soft peck Aziraphale now planted on his cheek.  
The angel moved onto Crowley's mouth, both of them tasting of wine and food. It wasn't unpleasant and Aziraphale hummed softly into the kiss.

But after a while, the position became uncomfortable, as most positions tend to do, and Crowley turned Aziraphale and himself so that the angel was lying underneath him on the sofa. Aziraphale's hands were stroking over Crowley's back slowly, warming him, and Crowley's own were framing the angel's face.  
Crowley was absolutely content to just lay there and kiss and would have been happy to keep on doing so for hours.

But after a few more minutes, Aziraphale broke their kiss, gently, moving his face as far away from Crowley's as possible in his position.  
He smiled at the demon.

"Would you let me up, my dear? I do think I drank rather much of that wine, and I'm afraid I have to use the bathroom."

Crowley, baffled by that incredibly poor excuse, sat up instantly, releasing the angel and watching him as he made his way to the bathroom.  
Not only had Aziraphale's explanation been terrible, no, Crowley had also seen that nervousness in his eyes again.

He sat up straight and willed the alcohol from his bloodstream.  
He definitely needed to be sober for the conversation he and Aziraphale were about to have.

 

Aziraphale had sobered up as well, Crowley noted as the angel stepped into the living room.  
Crowley watched as his friend made his way over and waited until he had sat down on the sofa, before he spoke. 

"I think we need to talk."

Instantly, Crowley cursed himself as he saw Aziraphale wince at his choice of words.

"Shit. I didn't mean it like that. I mean, it's nothing bad, I just wanted to ask you something." babbled Crowley.

Aziraphale relaxed again and smiled, nodding at him to continue.  
Crowley ran his fingers through his hair. Now that the moment had actually come, he realised that he had no idea what he wanted to _say_.  
Should he just ask him?  
Well, Crowley had never been a fan of beating about the bush, so yes, simply asking was probably just as well as any other method.

"I noticed that you always break off our kisses if they last too long. Why? Are they making you uncomfortable or do you angels have like a limit for kisses, 'cause if you do, I absolutely respect that..."

Shit. Apparently Crowley had not sobered up as well as he'd thought.

Aziraphale seemed to have come to the same conclusion, seeing as he was staring at his friend wide-eyed.  
Crowley attempted an apologeptic smile wich angel ignored. He and sucked in a sharp breath instead, closing his eyes briefly, seemingly bracing himself for something.

"No, it has nothing to do with me being an angel, though I really would love to know just how you came to that conclusion. But no, it's not that."

Aziraphale stopped for a second before continuing with a slightly shaky voice.  
"It's just... I interrupt our kisses because I'm worried, I think. Of sending the wrong message."

Aziraphale seemed relieved when he had gotten the words out, but Crowley was left feeling confused.

"What message would that be?" he asked, earning a quiet sigh from Aziraphale.

"The message that I want to... take things further, as they say."  
The angel looked deeply uncomfortable and for a few moments, Crowley could do nothing but stare at him in confusion. 'Take things further'?

Then it clicked. Oh. _Oh._

If Crowley had been one to think in such sentimental ways, he would have said that his heart broke as he understood.  
But since he wasn't and he didn't, he merely flapped his hands around helplessly for a few seconds before standing up from the sofa in order to sit down in front of Aziraphale. 

"Oh, angel," sighed Crowley, squeezing his hands softly. "How can someone as intelligent as you be so stupid?  
No matter how long we're kissing or in what position or where, I would never, _never_ expect anything from you. I would not try to 'take things further' because I know that you don't want to. And if you don't want to, I don't want to, either."

Crowley gave Aziraphale's hand another soft squeeze before looking at him.  
If he hadn't known better, he would have said that Aziraphale was teary-eyed. Crowley couldn't do much but take the angel's other hand and squeeze that one, too, at which Aziraphale attempted a shaky smile.

Then the angel bent down and hugged Crowley, hard. He let his friend go after a few seconds with an awkward pat on the shoulder.

"Thank you, my dear," said Aziraphale quietly, "I... I'm sorry for making you worry. It's just that sometimes, I can't suppress my own worries, you see? But thank you. It means a lot. Thank you."

Crowley hushed his angel with a soft finger to his lips before he could thank him once more.

"Nothing to thank me for, angel. Just basic demonic decency." He grinned, relieved that Aziraphale seemed to be more relaxed at his words.  
"And now, I do think we had another bottle of wine somewhere?"

Aziraphale let out a laugh at that and pulled Crowley up in order to curl up next to him.  
Crowley petted the angel's hair softly in response while pouring the wine and leaned back once more, enjoying their closeness.

 

And if their goodbye-kiss later lingered just a little longer that night than normally - well, nobody had to know.


End file.
